Friction resistance exerciser

ABSTRACT

An exercise device for anchoring to a suitable support and including a ring provided with an outwardly projecting binding post portion at one point along its circumference and a pair of at least slightly circumferentially spaced guides disposed generally diametrically opposite the post portion. A length of flexible rope is provided with its mid-portion passed about the post portion and the opposite end portions thereof each spiraled at least once about the connecting portions of the ring extending in opposite directions from the post portion to the guides and then through the guides. The rope may be longitudinally shifted relative to the guides, the connecting ring portions and the post portion by pulling on either free end of the rope and a greater pull on the rope is resisted by greater frictional resistance to the rope being longitudinally shifted relative to the post portion, connecting portions and guides.

[ 51 Mar. 21, 1972 [54] FRICTION RESISTANCE EXERCISER [72] Inventor: David I. Pridham, 8410 Diane CL, Gilroy,

Calif. 95020 [22] Filed: Mar. 13, 1970 [21] App1.No.: 19,430

Primary ExaminerRichard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-William R. Browne Altorney clarence A. OBrien and Harvey B. Jacobson [5 7] ABSTRACT An exercise device for anchoring to a suitable support and including a ring provided with an outwardly projecting binding post portion at one point along its circumference and a pair of at least slightly circumferentially spaced guides disposed generally diametrically opposite the post portion. A length of flexible rope is provided with its mid-portion passed about the post portion and the opposite end portions thereof each spiraled at least once about the connecting portions of the ring extending in opposite directions from the post portion to the guides and then through the guides. The rope may be longitudinally shifted relative to the guides, the connecting ring portions and the post portion by pulling on either free end of the rope and a greater pull on the rope is resisted by greater frictional resistance to the rope being longitudinally shifted relative to the post portion, connecting portions and guides.

5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures Patented March 21, 1972 3,650,531

00 via Pridham 3 mm W fi lim FRICTION RESISTANCE EXERCISER The exerciser of the instant invention has been designed to provide an exercise apparatus that may be readily adjusted so as to offer varied resistance to the movement of the movable portion of the exerciser which comprises an elongated flexible tension member such as a rope. The midportion of the rope is frictionally engaged with that portion of the exerciser to be stationarily anchored and the tension member is longitudinally shiftable relative to the anchored portion of the exerciser. Certain portions of the tension member are wound about corresponding portions of the stationary portion of the exerciser whereby frictional engagement between the tension member and those portions of the stationary portion about which the tension member wound will resist longitudinal shifting of the tension member.

In use, the opposite ends of the tension member, which may comprise a conventional rope, may be gripped in the hands of a person using the exerciser and alternate ends of the rope may be pulled upon by the user of the exerciser so as to cause the rope to be shifted longitudinally relative to the anchored portion of the exerciser. If more resistance to longitudinal shifting of the rope is desired, a harder pull may be exerted on the end of the rope being pulled whereby greater frictional resistance between the rope and the stationary portion of the exerciser will be developed, In addition, the end portions of the rope wound about corresponding portions of the anchored portion of the exerciser may be wrapped either once, twice, thrice, or more times about these portions of the exerciser so as to vary the frictional resistance generated for resisting longitudinal shifting of the rope relative to the stationary portion of the exerciser.

The stationary portion of the exerciser is illustrated and described hereinafter as a ring having a binding post projecting outwardly from one peripheral portion thereof and a pair of slightly spaced guides supported from the ring in positions substantially diametrically opposite the binding post. However, the body or stationary portion of the exerciser may be varied in configuration as desired, such as by rendering the stationary portion of the exerciser generally Y-shaped in configuration, to provide the desired resistance to longitudinal shifting of the tension member portion of the exerciser.

The main object of this invention is to provide an exerciser which may be utilized to exercise various portions of the body.

Another object of this invention is to provide an exerciser which may be utilized by ambulatory patients as well as bed patients.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an exerciser that may be utilized to perform modified isometric exercises wherein the muscles being exercised are not allowed to rapidly contract, but which are allowed to contract slowly at a predetermined rate as a pull is exerted on the tension member portion of the exerciser.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an exerciser which may be readily utilized by substantially all persons desiring exercise and which may be readily adjusted to offer the desired resistance to longitudinal shifting of the tension member portion of the exerciser.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide an exerciser which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble-free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the friction resistance exerciser anchored to a wall mounted anchor;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the exerciser illustrated anchored to an overhead anchor; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the exerciser illustrating the manner in which the end portions of the elongated flexible member thereof may be further wrapped about the opposite side portions of the friction ring portion of the exerciser.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates the exerciser of the instant invention. The exerciser 10 includes a friction ring defining body 12 having a binding post 14 projecting radially outwardly of one point 16 on the circumference of the friction ring 12. The binding post 14 includes an extended outer end portion 18 which terminates in a hook portion 20 engaged with a staple anchored in a wall 26. The friction ring 12 also includes a pair of smaller guide rings 27 and 28 disposed in a common plane normal to the medial plane of the friction ring 12 and secured to spaced points 30 and 32 on the circumference of the ring 12 generally diametrically opposite the point 16. The guide rings 27 and 28 are secured to the friction ring 12 by welding 34 and to each other by welding 36.

An elongated flexible tension member 38 is provided and comprises a length of braided nylon rope. The rope 38 includes a midportion 40 passed about the binding post 14 and opposite end portions 42 and 44 which are wound once about the connecting portions of the friction ring 12 extending between the point 16 and the points 30 and 32. The end portions 42 and 44 then pass through the guide rings 27 and 28, respectively, and may be provided with any suitable handgrips (not shown) if desired.

In FIG. 4 of the drawings the hooked portion 20 of the exerciser 10 is engaged with a staple or anchor 46 anchored in a ceiling 48 of a room and it may be noted that the hooked portion 28 is not fully closed whereby the exerciser 10 may be suitably engaged with any specifically located anchor such as the anchors 24 and 26. However, the hooked portion 20 may be fully closed and locked to any suitable anchor such as anchor 24 by means of a padlock.

In operation, after the end portions 42 and 44 of the rope 38 have been passed through the guide rings 27 and 28, the midportion 40 of the rope is passed through the friction ring 12, once about the hooked portion 20, back through the guide ring 12 and then once again about the hooked portion 20 so as to engage the midportion with the base end of the binding post 14. In this manner, each end portion 42 and 44 of the rope 38 will be wound once about the connecting portions of the friction ring 12 extending between the point 16 and the points 30 and 32 to which the guide rings 27 and 28 are secured.

Then, the exerciser 10 may be utilized by alternately pulling on the free ends of the end portions 42 and 44. A gentle pull on one end portion will be resisted by mild frictional resistance of longitudinal shifting of the tension member or rope 38 relative to the portions of the exerciser 10 about which the rope 38 passes. A harder pull on either end of the end portions 42 and 44 will result in greater resistance between the rope 38 and portions of the exerciser 10 about which the rope 38 is passed.

If further resistance to longitudinal shifting of the tension member 38 is desired, the midportion 40 of the rope 38 is grasped and pulled away from the ring 12 until it is spaced outwardly of the hooked portion 20. Then, the mid-portion is again passed through the ring 12 in the manner illustrated in phantom lines in FIG. 5 of the drawings and then again about the binding post 14. In this manner, each end portion of the rope 38 will be wound twice about the connecting portions of the ring 12 extending between the point 16 and the points 30 and 32.

All of the portions of the friction ring and binding post 14 about which the rope 38 is passed are smooth and different frictional resistance characteristics of the tension member 38 may be realized by substituting a rope constructed of different material for the tension member 38. In addition, the diameter of the rope utilized as the tension member 38 will also determine frictional resistance to longitudinal shifting of the rope 38.

It is to be noted that the friction ring 12 need not be closed at the portion thereof defined between the points 30 and 32. In fact, the ring 12 may be of the split type or substantially Y- shaped in configuration in which instance the guide rings 27 and 28 will be carried by the ends of the Y-shaped structure. Nevertheless, the operation of the exerciser will be the same.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A friction resistance exerciser comprising a body defining an uninterrupted continuous ring, the space within the ring being wholely unobstructed, one point along the periphery of said ring including an outwardly projecting post and at least slightly spaced portions of the periphery of said ring opposite said post including a pair of guides for a tension member and extending out from the ring in a plane perpendicular to the medial plane of the ring, and an elongated tension member having its midportion passed about said post and the opposite end portions thereof spiraled about the portions of said ring connecting said point and said portions and slidingly engaged with said guides.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said guides comprise a pair of eyes secured to said portions of said ring.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said post generally parallels the medial plane of said ring and includes an outer end portion including anchor means for anchoring to a suitable support.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said anchor means comprises a hooked terminal end for releasable engagement with a support eye.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said guides comprise a pair of eyes secured to said portions of said ring, said post generally paralleling the medial plane of said ring and including an outer end portion including anchor means for anchoring to a suitable support, said anchor means comprising a hooked terminal end for releasable engagement with a support eye. 

1. A friction resistance exerciser comprising a body defining an uninterrupted continuous ring, the space within the ring being wholely unobstructed, one point along the periphery of said ring including an outwardly projecting post and at least slightly spaced portions of the periphery of said ring opposite said post including a pair of guides for a tension member and extending out from the ring in a plane perpendicular to the medial plane of the ring, and an elongated tension member having its midportion passed about said post and the opposite end portions thereof spiraled about the portions of said ring connecting said point and said portions and slidingly engaged with said guides.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said guides comprise a pair of eyes secured to said portions of said ring.
 3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said post generally parallels the medial plane of said ring and includes an outer end portion including anchor means for anchoring to a suitable support.
 4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said anchor means comprises a hooked terminal end for releasable engagement with a support eye.
 5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said gUides comprise a pair of eyes secured to said portions of said ring, said post generally paralleling the medial plane of said ring and including an outer end portion including anchor means for anchoring to a suitable support, said anchor means comprising a hooked terminal end for releasable engagement with a support eye. 